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10 comments:

Does anyone know what the PELA program consists of? If the main training is being in a building with an experienced principal, is that enough? Have any experienced principals ever evaluated the training program?

PELA is a Roosevelt, Broad, Gates concept that recruits bright, young, people who will perpetuate the Broad/ Gates Agenda. The less educational background the better; the only requirement is 'faithfulness" to the Broad/Gates concepts/training/brainwashing.

If there is an example of success for this model, please speak now and cite the evidence.

Let's tell it like it is from a teacher's perspective: the resentment of PELAs comes down to the fact that they drink the proverbial kool-aid that comes from Gates/Broad and IFL. It seems to us that these people are much like the Hitler Youth. They genuflect before PPS central administration and have no clue about the realities of how urban students learn.They have no understanding of the need for building rapport with students, nor do they comprehend the idea that PPS curriculum is a vanilla approach to instruction: that is, let's see if we can take the instructor out of the education process.Truly, they are a blight on the landscape that is PPS these days, little people who by and large spent a negligible portion of their careers in the classroom, at best, and now believe they have some clue as to how to move the district forward, what effective teaching is and most of all, that teachers are drones on the production line that they can push around.In three decades of teaching, they are truly the embodiment of a complete ivory tower dogma with regards to management.It shocks me that these individuals are so out of touch with just what comprises the make up of most urban students. In amazing fashion, they will never question what comes from above, they continually employ education-speak and enjoy their roles as empowered bullies.I am admittedly no fan of central administration, from assistant superintendents to department heads who are so brainwashed in their beliefs. I'm no fan of the PFT and cannot understand why they need their own building on the South Side when they can just take a wing at Bellefield Avenue. (Sit through a RISE or ITL session and listen to PFT higher-ups talk--ask yourself if they represent your best interests or work for PPS). But I abhor these types of individuals who believe they have all of the answers to teaching, push the idea of compliance and yet at the end of the day, are sorely lacking in how to deal with students.

I'd like to comment on the Minadeo PELA. First of all, yes, Ms. Getty was pushed out so Ms. Wagner, a PELA could get a job, and the district placed Ms. Wagner at Minadeo. But, you cannot blame her for the issues that are going on at that school 100%. That school has put Ms. Getty as the assistant principal, after she has served 30 years to this district. A slap in the face to her and her dedication. Yes, Ms. Wagner is a first year principal, but she's not new to education. Do we know anyone that has everything down perfect the 1st year in a position. Then, let's talk about the reason Minadeo's enrollment has increased, because certain schools that some kids were going to last year didn't make AYP (naming Faison, one of the worst behaved and low-achieving schools int he district), their parents had a choice to send them to another school that DID make AYP. Minadeo made it last year, so the parents at other schools decided to send their children to Minadeo. Minadeo isn't as bad as people are making it out to be, it has just changed. It has went from serving the community of Squirrel Hill ONLY, to serving Squirrel Hill, Homewood and Hazelwood. The parents that are complaining are the Squirrel Hill parents because they are unhappy with the changes at Minadeo. Public Education. Everything isn't going to be catered to these parents. Give Ms. Wagner a chance!

The Hazelwood community fought hard to keep its elementary school, Burgwin. It seemed like the kids were really treasured at Burgwin, while at Minadeo there was a danger that they would be viewed as outsiders. Sometimes it is necessary to consolidate and everyone just has to make the best of the situation, but there was never any information presented about exactly how much the district would save by closing Burgwin and how that amount was calculated. And Board members didn't ask.

With all due respect, if I were a parent or a teacher with an incoming PELA of any stripe, I would be beyond hesitant to "give _________ a chance."I've read the manifesto. I know the territory.PELA=poison. Period.

This group of pinheads are clueless in the area of dealing with students as people. They have no experience. They have no clue.

Clarification...no, we will not have VPs and Directors now. The board is getting rid of VPs and replacing them with PELAs because they have to give those PELAs jobs. Because they can't just kick out VPs and replace them, they decided to pretend to cut the positions and give them to the PELAs but call it something different. A terrible loophole.